In February 2020, Ambyr joined a game of human foosball, where college students were holding PVC pipes in parallel rows held together by wooden fences on all sides with real goals at each end. It was an annual retreat put on by Navigators collegiate, a campus ministry whose goal is to train up men and women to “know Christ, make Him known, and to help others do the same.” It was Ambyr’s freshman year and she didn’t know a lot of other people in the group. There were students from all the campuses across Florida, each wearing the occasional university branded shirt. Next to her was standing a competitive latino guy with a backwards hat showing off his soccer skills. They played together for two hours winning lots of close games and high fiving after every goal. At the end of the time, Rodrigo asked, “Ambyr, what campus are you from?” to which Ambyr replied, “FSU! what about you?”

Their time in college was mostly running in close but different circles in the Navs. Rodrigo tried to recruit her to his IM soccer team several times, but Ambyr always had babysitting jobs or other random things. This went on until everything closed in 2020 and they went home for break.

When they were back, Ambyr joined Navs student leadership where they created small cohorts that would meet weekly. To their delight on the first day, Rodrigo and Ambyr were placed in the same group, Mondays at 9AM. It took a long time for either to make a move, it wasn’t until the end of next year that it was dawning on Rodrigo that if he was going to make a move, it had to be done swiftly. So, for about four weeks, Rodrigo invited her to Chick fil a with some more students. Ambyr often had to study or wake up early.

Ambyr was on the committee of recruiting students to share Christ to college students and was inviting everyone to go with her. Rodrigo gladly volunteered and they shared the gospel on campus. When they were done, they went to Chick fil a to get some lunch. Rodrigo listened to Ambyr talk about her story and what she is about, so he prayed and talked with mentors about this girl that he wants to ask out. He was praying one morning in the Pensacola Parking Lot waiting for his friend to pick him up when Ambyr pulled in right in front of him. It was the perfect moment. He got up to greet her and asked her out. Excitedly, Ambyr said yes. “Where are we going?” she asked. “It’s a surprise.” Rodrigo did not know where they were going.

Wanting to make a good impression, Rodrigo picked out a small park with a coffee shop, a lake, and even some ducks. He borrowed his sister’s painting supplies and they talked about everything as they painted canvases.

Their love grew steadily, hitting small and big milestones. Valentine’s Days, birthdays, college graduations, trips to Disney, meeting each other’s families, and Rodrigo even got to see Ambyr get baptized on the beach. As the topic of marriage began to become a topic of conversation, they sought out counsel, prayer, and the Word. They found proverbs like “He who finds a wife finds a good thing” and “a wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies… She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” In the next few months, Rodrigo schemed with his sister, Paola, and Ambyr’s friends, Kyndall and Riley.

On June 3, 2023, Ambyr thought they were celebrating her birthday at some botanical gardens. She turned the corner with her two friends and there was Rodrigo with a picnic blanket and a gold engagement ring waiting for her.

Their relationship has always been about glorifying God together and being a force for good in their community and abroad. It is an exciting day for them and are grateful to have family and friends to support them.